The regions are strewn with the corpses of those that came from London to show the natives how it should be done. What makes you different?

Ha Ha, I didn't come here to show people here how it's done. I came because it was a good career opportunity, I didn't know the NW at all (some will say obviously!).

I have a passion for advertising and saw real opportunity here. I often used to look at the Scottish scene and think that must be fun. I've learnt plenty from the people I've met here too.

When you arrived did you have a policy of despatching the incumbent management? If not, why did it happen?

When I arrived my predecessor had already gone, I never even met the guy.

I remember, vividly, a tea lady handing me a mug and saying 'You're not Neil, are you?'.

The agency needed re-invigoration; it had a very top heavy structure in place, wasn't bringing new talent in and was at huge risk of becoming stale.
 

Neil?

Not at all, one has to wish them all the best and keep looking forward. I've made no secret of wanting to build a better scene in the NW and we'll be focussing on trying to pull some big business into the region.

If a client told you he intended to ditch a brand name with 40 years of heritage, what would you advise him?

How long have you been preparing that question for!!

I don't know, but let's just say if there was an opportunity to achieve the kind of business success that Snickers has I wouldn't be clinging on to Marathon.
 
Was Marathon becoming Snickers an integral part of that success?

No, ok it's a crap analogy. TBWA has a great reputation worldwide, more and more of our clients are looking beyond the NW and more.

We'd like business from elsewhere to recognise who we are and what we stand for. The agency here, in my humble opinion was ignoring its parentage and losing out.

Your career prior to this has all been London-centric. Who did you offend back at head office to get a one-way ticket North?

Plenty I'm sure. I actually went to TBWA Group and said that I wanted a new challenge; I had been running PlayStation for 5 years.

They said to me 'are you geographically mobile?' at which point I instantly assumed I'd be sent to the Far East and would have been banqueting with yours truly.
 
What do you think about those // forward slashes that adorn your masthead? Irritating affectation or serious brand enhancement?

I'm told they are 'lightning rods of disruption', draw your own conclusion…

And your feeling?

They don't keep me awake at night.

Who - TBWA staff and clients aside - has impressed you most of all the North West marketing communications people you've met since you arrived?

Once you strip out all the clients and folk I work with it's actually remarkably hard to answer. I heard Peter Saville talk at a do a while back and, whilst I'm not sure what he does all day, his observations on the city were pretty interesting.

I'm actually doing something with him and Manchester Enterprises this week looking at how to make it a more creatively attractive city.

Do you see much of the BDH folk of old - Bryn, Martin etc?

Saville: 'pretty interesting'

They have both been extremely kind to me, full of sage advice and good humour. Bryn threw red wine all over me though, not sure what I said, he'll be getting a laundry bill.

Did they feel at all slighted that the BDH name was now history?

It's hard for me to speak for them but I think they expected it.

Those guys had a great time here and did some fabulous work, things have moved on now and we've talked long and hard about the future together.

I don't think there's any bitterness at all from those two.

Is it fair to complain about creative standards in the North of England when many of the accounts handled here are in the financial services and retail sectors. Sectors where creativity, even in London, seldom shines through?

Some people have interpreted it as a complaint, it was more of a call to action.

In my minds a lot of the best creatives have a 'never good enough' perfectionist attitude and I share that. I want our work to improve, as do the creative department here and in many other agencies; they want to get the best they can get out there.

Those sectors you mention have some very good examples of work and we should aim to emulate the best wherever it comes from.

Can you ever shine in comparison to London when TV ads - direct response aside - are few and far between in Manc and the other regions? Why should creativity be limited to TV ads?

ghd: provocative, beautiful

We absolutely can produce great TV here too, the production companies are capable of the same values and our teams, when they do get the chance, can produce work on a par with any London agency.

Our ghd TV ad which hit the headlines last week (I apologise again to the Archdeacon) is absolutely beautiful. There are less briefs like that around and, perhaps, I'm naive but if we can do more, people with budgets might turn and look here for inspiration.

The D&AD annuals make me happy every time I open one. There's no reason they can't be filled with ideas from this region.

I was going to ask you about the ghd ads. Surely this "outrage" was part of the marketing plan from the off?

ghd is a provocative brand for sure but the brand behaviour really does mimic religious behaviour, people show an extraordinary devotion to it because the product is so good and it's often recommended by stylists.

They have been describing it as a 'new religion for hair' for about seven years, long before we had it.

The ad in question came off air in December anyway, so when this ban came about it has been interesting to discuss it again in the media and get more people to look at it and post opinions.

Many agency heads in the North West and beyond see media independents as the worst thing to have happened to the sustainability and proftability of agencies. Where do you stand on this? Do you believe, as others seem to, that he return of the genuinely full service agency (including media) is inevitable?

I started in media and have a great affection for the input a media team can make when they are fully plugged in. However, I can remember disharmony back then as my charts were always at the back after the creative guys and were often skipped (other people had the same problem too). I don't therefore think that a simple return to the way we were is the answer, though I do think greater proximity is inevitable and positive.

I notice Mindshare have launched some kind of creative agency - feels like an odd approach; I don't think anyone has the answer yet.

So is Manchester just a pit stop for an ambitious Omnicom executive?

Got a point? Let's get some here

Coming here should feel like 'double art' on a Friday.

I had no grand career plan to come to Manchester, I came for the opportunities it presented and hope that the team here will grow up feeling the same. I have no idea where next. I love travel... I'm open minded as long as we all bear in mind we are building something permanent.

I've given you a lot of flak over the last few months- was there any remark that struck you as particularly galling? Many people have taken their bat and ball home over much less, but you have taken it all rather good naturedly. Why is that?

I broke a few pencils and kicked a few filing cabinets at first. I wanted to say 'but doesn't he see all the good things we're doing and all the stuff we're getting right'.

I had to realise though that I was making some radical changes and that people would and should always have a view.

I have learnt a hell of a lot too in all this and TBWA is a very supportive place. I get a daily pep talk from Terry our buildings manager. Its genuinely a privilege to work with guys like him. There is a strong sense of teamwork here and we're all pretty upbeat these days.

As for the 'posh' gags, I've had them for years.  'Back Boris, wear a signet ring and have a double barrelled name, what ho.' It's just who I am.

I love the variety of people I work with and I never judge a book by its cover.

Next time out Tony speaks to Nina Wheeler, proprietor of Brazen. Please email any questions for Nina to Tonymurray37@hotmail.com

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